VSDCA board backs Port Melbourne, Strathmore, Spotswood and Donvale for affiliation
Eighteen years after dropping out of Sub-District cricket, a historic club is on the verge of returning to the competition after being one of four clubs selected to come into the ‘Subbies’. But it isn’t a fait accompli. Here’s what needs to happen.
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Historic Port Melbourne Cricket Club could soon be making a return to the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association.
Port was one of the VSDCA’s foundation clubs in 1908 but a shortage of players forced it to drop out of the competition in 2002.
Now the Sub-District board is recommending Port Melbourne as one of the four clubs to come into Subbies.
The others are Strathmore and Spotswood, both in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association, and Donvale, from the Eastern Cricket Association.
But the process of affiliation has been put back 12 months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
And a delegates’ vote will ultimately decide if the Sub-District competition will expand to 32 clubs, with eight in each of the four divisions.
The board will present a paper to its 28 clubs outlining the pros and cons of bringing in more teams.
Port Melbourne is in Cricket Southern Bayside and plays in Division 2, two grades below the top division.
The VSDCA is aware the club would need to improve its playing stocks considerably but is impressed with its administration and the facilities at North Port Oval.
Subbies president Phil O’Meara is a former Port champion batsman and captain-coach, and recently became a life member.
He said it would be tremendous if the cricketing Borough came back to the Sub-District competition.
“It was sad when they went in the first place, but the problem was, when Subbies went to four sides, Port Melbourne weren’t geared for four sides,’’ O’Meara said.
“They were OK with three, but not the four. It’s different now as far as numbers go. They’ve got juniors. They’ve got the foundations of success. What they need now is some quality players, but when you’re close to the city it’s easier to recruit. They’ve got those great facilities, and hopefully if they come in they can quickly make a good go of it.’’
Port Melbourne won the VSDCA’s first senior premiership, defeating Malvern in 1908-09.
Its last senior pennant was in 1990-91, when it was champion of west group.
Port Melbourne, Strathmore, Spotswood and Donvale all presented to the board earlier in the year.
“They’ve all done their home work, their due diligence, and they’re all very keen to come in,’’ O’Meara said.
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He said a 75 per cent majority would be needed to admit the four clubs and he was “pretty confident’’ it would get over the line.
Last season Strathmore competed in the VTCA Senior Division, and Spotswood in Division 1 West.
Subbies secretary Ken Hilton said Cricket Victoria had been alerted to the VSDCA board’s recommendation to bring in Port Melbourne, Strathmore, Spotswood and Donvale, supported the decision and had given the green light to the competition expanding.
He said “seven, eight, nine clubs’’ had expressed interest in joining the VSDCA, which last welcomed a new affiliate in 2016-17, Taylors Lakes.